Tiny moore & johnnie gimble on youtube

[BlueMountain]

Maybe someone mentioned this before, but I just happened to spot it. Tiny Moore and Johnnie Gimble playing electric mandolin together. Only time I've ever seen them on the screen playing. Forgive me if this has already been posted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbTJ8gDAvn8

[rekx]

this is awesome.

[hotclub]

Every time I see johnny on that mando, I try to get a good look, but no luck. I know it's about a '42 A-50 'cause I've got a few (little diamond on headstock) but I understand he's got a magnetic pickup mounted on there somehow, maybe with a hole punched in there like an EM-150. Also I've heard it's strung with four strings tuned like a mandola. Anybody know or have a picture or link?

[pglasse]

The video cited in this thread is from and NBC TV special called 50 Years of Country Music. Merle put together a stellar version of the Texas Playboys for the show.

Regarding Johnny Gimble's mandolin setup: it's a Gibson A-50 set up for 4 strings and tuned down one fifth (mandola: CGDA). The original pickup Johnny had custom made for him by Leo Fender. Eventually the pick guard cut through the windings and Johnnie had the pickup rewound by the late Shot Jackson (of Sho-Bud steel guitar fame) of Nasvhille.

For an amazing closer look at Johnny's mandolin playing check out: Johnny Gimble on You Tube

The tune they're jamming on is Won't You Ride In My Little Red Wagon. Amazingly, much of Johnny's chord solo is played by picking downstrokes with the flatpick and the backs of his fingernails of the first and second fingers simultaneously -- in this video you can really see what he's doing with his right hand.

Paul Glasse
Austin, Texas

[John Rosett]

Thanks for that video, Paul.
My band opened for Johnny a couple of years ago, and one of the things about his playing that really struck me is his economy of motion. His hands seemed to be barely moving, yet all this great music was just pouring out. That video showing the pick and fingers technique helps explain some of it.
Another thing that I've never understood is how he can string a mandolin like a mandola and have the low C string so in tune. Probably it's the way he plays it.

[Ken Olmstead]

eMando, mando, fiddles and tenor banjo. Bob really musta dug instruments tuned in fifths! Seriously, that was great!

[mandopops]

Yeah. Great Gimble clip. I'd like a good record of Johnny mainly playing mandolin. I know he's a great fiddler, but I want more mandolin. What is there out there? I do have the Bob Wills "For the Last Time". By the way, which tunes does he play mandolin on? Sometimes, because he's tuned low w/ single strings, I'm not sure if it's guitar or mandolin. (Is it Ella or is it Memorex?)I'm dating myself w/ that joke, but I couldn't resist.Thanx.

[BlueMountain]

Thanks, Paul! What a great solo! Shades of Charlie Christian poking through in places.

You've probably heard more of Gimble's mandolin playing than just about anyone. You ought to talk to him about putting out a double CD of his mandolin performances, whether they've been released before or not. It really isn't easy to find this stuff.

[mandopops]

Good idea. I'd buy it. I'd like to hear him play a lot of stuff in different settings.
I'll ask again If anyone is familiar with the Bob Wills "For The Last Time" on which tracks does Johnny solo w/ Mandolin.
Also does anyone know why Tiny wasn't on that session? As long as I'm at it,what Merle Haggard songs does Tiny have a Mandolin solo? Same w/ Asleep at the Wheel?
Maybe this is a question for the Dawg, but if I remember correctly, around the time of "Back to Back" Jethro said he & Tiny played live together. Are there any tapes of that?(I think he said they didn't play a lot of stuff from the LP, mainly standards.
More Jethro,Tiny & Johnny!

[mrmando]

There's an Austin City Limits episode of Jethro & Tiny playing live. Pretty cool.

[Richard Singleton]

Hi, Does anybody know what gauges Johnny Gimble uses on his A-50 for that mandola tuning? Rich Singleton

[mrmando]

Gimble protege Randy Elmore uses .46-.30-.20-.10 for CGDA on a similar instrument.

[mrmando]

Oh, and here is the definitive word on Gimble's string gauges.